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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. firm — decided
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. current — of water
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. spring — a coil
  8. band — a ring
  9. band — a music group
  10. board — a committee
  11. hand — help
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. spring — the season
  14. bulb — for light
  15. firm — a company
  16. spring — of water
  17. board — to get on
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. current — electric
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. hand — in cards
  22. current — happening now
  23. bulb — for light
  24. firm — steady

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com